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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · craft · bowl · board · nail · pit · stock · wake

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. board — a committee
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — goods
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stock — shares
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. board — to get on
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wake — a trail
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com